coal mine

noun

1. a mine or pit from which coal is obtained.

Other Word Forms

• coal miner noun
• coal mining noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of coal mine¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

He said it was unclear whether these were one-off issues, or a case of "the canary in the coal mine".

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But Moscow’s strategy to bomb substations, coal mines and gas sites in Ukraine hasn’t succeeded in bending Kyiv to Moscow’s will.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The key question is whether gold’s strength is acting as a canary in the coal mine for broader market stress.

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"And that's really significant. It could be a sort of canary in the coal mine."

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Since California and New York are two of the biggest states in the country by GDP, “they may be canaries in the coal mine,” he added.

Read more on MarketWatch